Can treating apparatus



12, 1944- E. E. HAGELINE 2,364,971

CAN TREATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 8, 1941 3 Sheets-Sheet l Q L om m 1 mvmm o \NVENTORI EMIL E.HGGEL|NE 3? gem/ 8 PM,

Dec- 1 1 4 E. E. HAGELINE CAN TREATING APPARATUS 3 sheets-sheet 2 FiledJan. 8, 1941 Fig. 3

' INVENTORI! EMIL EHGGELINE Dec. 12, 1944.

E. E. HAGELINE CAN TREATING APPARATUS Filed Jan: 8, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet3 Fig.4.

INVEN'TORZ EMIL E. HHGELINE v (B Qam/ Patented Dec. 12, 1944 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

CAN TREATING APPARATUS Emil E. Hageline, Chicago. 111.; assignor to TheLathrop-Paulson Company, Chicago, 111.,

corporation of Illinois Application January 8, 1941, Serial No. 373,542

14 Claims.

This invention relates to can treating apparatus and deals moreparticularly with mechanism for projecting treating fluids, such aswater, steam, soap, etc., into the interior of cans conveyed along apath through the apparatus. The improved apparatus is especially suitedfor the treatment of milk cans, but will be found suitable for use inconnection with other cans or containers.

In cleaning or disinfecting the interior of milk cans, for example, itis necessary to project the treating fluid well into the interior of thecan, and unless the jet or nozzle device which discharges the fluid isextended into the can opening and into the interior of the can,effective treatment is not certain. If the nozzle is not extended intothe can being treated, at least a part of the liquid is deflected by the,neck portion of the can and is wasted. Also in the case of a milk can,

the nozzle should extend well into the can in order to direct the fluidalong the curved surfaces rearward of the neck portion.

However, in apparatus where the cans move therethrough along a definedpath, the movement of the cans themselves prevents the use of anystationary nozzle means which would project into the interior of thecans. This makes it de-- sirable to provide apparatus in which thetreating nozzles are moved into extended position within the cans as thecans move through the machine, and the present invention has in view theprovision of improved apparatus of this nature.

An object of the invention is to provide means for positively moving thenozzle device into its extended position within the can to be treatedafter the can has been moved to the treating position. Another object isto provide improved conveyor mechanism for moving the cans along thepath into treating position and which is also elTective for actuatingthe nozzle moving mechanism. A further object is to provide apparatus.

in which the operation of the can moving mechanism is coordinated withthe nozzle moving means so that each function is accomplishedautomatically and in the proper time relationship. It is further desiredthat the movement of the nozzle moving means be accomplished quickly andcertainly within only a part of the time needed for advancing a can intotreating position. Other objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent after the following detailed description.

One embodiment of the invention is illustrated by the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a broken side view in elevation showing amilk can being moved into position over the treating nozzle device; Fig.2, a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the nozzle device in projectedposition extending within the neck of the can and showing the conveyormechanism retracted ready to advance another can; Fig. 3, an enlargedvertical sectional view taken as indicated at line 3-3 of Fig. 4, butshowing the nozzle device in projected position; and Fig. 4, an enlargedplan view of the apparatus, the nozzle device being here shown in raisedor pro-- jected position. a

In the illustrations given, A designates a can to be treated; B,conveyor mechanism for advancing the cans; C, a nozzle device fordelivering the treating fluid; and D, means for turning the nozzledevice into position extending into the can.

The can A may be an ordinary milk can or any other container which istobe treated on its interior. In the case of .a milk can, as hereillustrated, there is a constricted neck portion ll] and afrusto-conical mouth portion l I. It is essential that the treatingnozzle be extended beyond the mouth II and well into the neck ll], sothat the treating fluid may be sprayed or otherwise projected againstand along the bell-shaped surfaces of the can interior.

A track l4 provides a path along which the cans are moved as they passthrough the ma chine and this may consist simply of a pair of stripshaving an even top surface and so spaced as to give steady support tothe cans carried ininverted position thereon.

The conveyor mechanism B here comprises a' pair of rails l5 and I5which, as more clearly seen in Fig. 3, are supported on the rollers l6and 16*. Similar rollers are provided at spaced intervals along theframe, as indicated at I! in Fig. 2. Such rollers are mounted on shaftssupported by framework in any suitable way. As shown in Fig. 3, theroller shaft 18 is rotatably mounted in brackets 19 which are attachedto the strips of track [4. It will thus'be clear that the rails l5 andHP are so mounted as to be free to move forward and back parallel withthe track. At their ends, rails 15 and iii? are connected with powermeans, not shown, for driving them in reciprocal movement, forward andback.

A pin 20 extends transversely connecting the rails l5 and I5, andpivotally carried on this pin The in the frame of the machine so as tobe tiltable from a retracted position, shown in Fig. 1, to the projectedposition shown in Fig. 2. A conduit system 21 connects with the interiorof the extension 25 when this is raised to the projected position. Ifpreferred, a valve may be employed, as in common practice, for closingoff the flow of liquid to the nozzle except when the nozzle is inextended position. Such valves are well known and need not be describedin detail as they form no part of the present invention. It should. beunderstood that the tubular portion 25 and the aperture portion 26 ofthe nozzle may take any suitable form, it being required only that thedevice be movable to the position extending into the interior of thecan.

On the top side of the nozzle device, as shown in Fig. 1, is a lugmember 30 which is formed partly by a strip 3i which has its rearwardportion 3i turned downwardly to provide a rearward inclined surface. Theforward end of strip 3| abuts the transverse portion of the yoke member40. It will be understood that the lug member 30 may take other formsand may be constructed in many other specific ways. The yoke or hookingmember 40 may comprise the side members 4| and 42 which, referring toFigs. 1 and 3, are provided with the slots 43 through which the pin 20extends. The lower rearward ends of the sides 4| and 42 are equippedwith the outwardly-extending stops 44- and 44 The central or transverseportion 45 of the yoke 40 is arranged to pass over the strip 3| of thelug 30 and in its backward movement to hook on the forward end of thisstrip to turn the nozzle toward upright position.

Operation The conveyor rails l5 and l5 move in wide reciprocal movement,and as they move rearwardly the dogs2l and 24 bow to pass under the canson the track l4. After the end of the rearward stroke and the railsagain begin forward movement, each of the dogs 2| and 24 will engage therims of cans and move them forwardly along the track. A can beginningmovement in this way toward a treating station is shown at the righthand portion of Fig. 2. It will be seen that at this position, the yokemember 40 is free and supported between the pin 20 and its stop portions44 and 44 resting against the underside of the rails l5 and I5 As therails l5 and I5 advance,.the transverse portion 45 of the yoke memberengages and slides over the strip 3| of the lug 30. Fig. 1 shows thepositions assumed when the conveyor mechanism has moved almost to theend of its forward stroke. The adjustment of the stroke is such that thecan is moved forwardly just sufficiently to permit the nozzle device toturn upwardly into upright position within the can neck. It will beobserved that the yoke portion 45 may slide forwardly over the nozzleextension 25 to permit this movement.

After the completion of the forward stroke of the conveyor, and asrearward movement takes 75 place, the yoke portion engages the lug 30and this operates to turn the nozzle device about its pivot, causing thenozzle extension to extend vertically well up into the neck of the can.After vertical or extended position has been attained, as shown at thelefthand portion of Fig. 2, the lug 30 has been lowered, and the yokeportion 45, being prevented from following it by the stops 44 and 44becomes disengaged from the lug. For the remainder of the rearwardmovement of the conveyor mechanism, there is no actuation of the nozzle,and the nozzle device remains upright and in extended position untilafter a dog 24 engages the can into which the nozzle was extended andwith forward movement pushes the can along the track from its treatingposition. As the treated can is pushed from treating position (seelefthand portion of Fig. 2), the side of the can neck engages the nozzleextension 25 and pushes the nozzle again to retracted position, the canpassing over it.

On the same forward movement of the conveyor mechanism as operates tomove the treated can from the treating position, another can is movedforward to treating position over the nozzle which was retracted by thefirst can, and then on the following reverse movement of the mechanism,the nozzle is again elevated to projected position inside the second canin the same manner as was before described.

Thus the apparatus continues operation, moving the cans successivelyinto treating position and moving the nozzle mechanism for treatment ofeach can interior during the period the can remains in treatingposition.

It will be understood that whenever the nozzle is turned to projectedposition, this operates to open the passage from the source of fluidsupply so that the fiuid flows freely into and through the nozzle ontothe interior walls of the can.

- Such control of fluid flow may be arranged in any suitable way, forexample, by providing a valve at the pivot joint of the nozzle device asdisclosed in Lathrop Patent No. 2,283,679, or by any other suitablevalve means.

While only one treating station has been shown and described, any numberof stations may be provided along the same track so that at one stationthe cans may be treated, for example, with soap water, at another withclear water, and at still another with steam, etc. It will be apparentthat each of such stations may be actuated both as to the advancement ofthe cans and as to the movement of the nozzle device, by the same orcommon conveyor mechanism.

The apparatus of the present invention is especially advantageous inthat it positively drives the nozzle into operative or extendedposition. Such action is much to be preferred over springpressed orcounterweight means for bringing a nozzle into projected position.Another definite advantage provided by this improved apparatus is thatthe nozzle mechanism is operated quickly to project it into the can andduring only a portion of the rearward stroke taken by the conveyormechanism. Also the operation of the nozzle takes place at the firstpart of the reverse movement of the conveyor; this is advantageous inthat it allows ample time for the flow of treating fluid into theinterior of the can before there is actuation to remove the jectedpositionwith a source of fluid supply, and

means carried by said conveyor mechanism for engaging said pivotednozzle upon movement of said mechanism in said direction, said meansbeing effective upon movement of said mechanism in another direction 'toturn said nozzle about its pivot into projected position extend- "inginto a can which is in treating position on sill-d path. I

2. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising conveyor mechanism havingreciprocal movement, its movement one direction being to advance thecans to be treated along a defined path, a movable nozzle swing-ablymounted on a pivot fixed in osition with respect to said path andconnected when in projected position a source or fluid supply, and meanscarried by said conveyor mechanism for engaging said pivoted nozzle uponmovement or said mechanism in said direction, said means being effective upon movement of said mechanism in another direction to swing saidnozzle about said pivot into projected position extending into a canwhich is in treating position on said path, said means being operable tomove said nozzle into projected position during the first part of thestroke of said mechanism in said other direction.

3. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising conveyor mechanism havingreciprocal movement, its movement in one direction being to advance thecans to be treated along a defined path, a nozzle swingably mounted on apivot fixed in position with respect to said path for dischargingtreating fluid to the interior of the cans, and means actuated bymovement of said mechanism in another direction for moving said nozzleinto projected position extending into a can in treating position onsaid path, said nozzle being swingable again into retracted positionwithdrawn from the interior of said can upon actuation by said can whenthe can is advanced along said path from said treating position.

4. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising a path along which can aremoved for treatment, a swingably mounted nozzle device supported belowsaid path and clear of said path when in retracted position so as topermit a can to pass along said path into treating position over thedevice, reciprocating actuating mechanism for advancing a can along saidpath into treating position as it moves in one direction, and meansactuated by said mechanism as it is moved in a counterdirection forengaging said device to swing the same upwardly to projected position inwhich it extends across said path and into said can in treatingposition.

5. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising a path along which cans aremoved for treatment, a tilt-able nozzle device supported below said pathand when in retracted position clear of said path so as to permit a canto pass along said path into treating position over the device,actuating mechanism movable in one direction to advance a can along saidpath into treating position, and means actuated upon movement of saidmechaiiismin another direction for turning said nozzle device toprojected position in which it extends across said path and into saidcan in treating position, said last-mentioned means being effective onlyduring the first part of the movement or said mechanism in said other diTedfio'n.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth for treating can-s withfluids, a pivoted nozzle device movable about its pivot from a positionfree of the cans to a position where it extends into the interior or acan, and reciprocating mechanism carrying a hooking member, saiddevice'being equipped with a lug, said hooking member and lug beingengageable during movement of said mechanism in one direction forturning said deviceto its extended position within a can.

7. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising a path along which cans aremoved in treatment, a tiltable nozzle device supported adjacent saidpath and when in retracted position being clear of said path to permitcans to pass therealong, reciprocally moving conveyor mechanism, theforward stroke of saidmcch-anism being effective to advance a can intotreating position near said nozzle device, a pivoted yoke member drivenin reciprocal movement by said mechanism, said nozzle device beingequipped with a lug member, saidyoke and lug members being engageableonly during return movement of said mechanism to effect turning of saiddevice into position where it extends across said path into the interiorof a can in treating position.

8. In apparatus of the character set forth for treating cans, a tiltablenozzle device adapted when in retracted position to pass cans thereoverand movable to a projected position in which it extends into theinterior of a can in treating position in the apparatus, said devicebeing equipped with a lug member, and a nozzle actuating member drivenin reciprocating movement, said actuating member being pivoted andmovable forwardly over said device into hooked engagement with said lugso as to turn said device into projected position upon its succeedingrearward movement, and means for disengaging said actuating member fromsaid nozzle device after said device has been moved to projectedposition and during the remainder of the rearward stroke of saidactuating member.

9. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising a path along which cans aremoved in treatment, a tiltable nozzle device supported adjacent saidpath, said device being equipped with a lug member, reciprocally movingconveyor mechanism, the forward stroke of which is effectiye to advancea can into treating position near said nozzle device, a pivotedlug-engaging member driven in reciprocal movement by said mechanism,said lug and lug-engaging members being engageable only during returnmovement of said mechanism to effect turning of said device intopositlon Where it extends into the interior of a can in treatingposition.

10. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising a path along which cans aremoved in'treatment, a tiltable nozzle device supported adjacent saidpath, said device being equipped with 2. lug member having an inclinedrearward surface and an abutting forward surface, reciprocally movingconveyor mechanism, the forward stroke of which is effective to advancea can into treating position near said nozzle device, a pivotedlugengaging member driven in reciprocal movement by said mechanism, saidlug-engaging member being adapted to move over said inclined surface ofsaid lug during the forward stroke of said mechanism and to engage saidabutting surface during the rearward stroke of said mechanism to turnsaid device into position where it extends into the interior of a can intreating position.

11. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising a path along which cans aremoved in treatment, a tiltable nozzle device supported adjacent saidpath, said device being equipped with a lug member, reciprocally movingconveyor mechanism, the forward stroke of which is efiective to advancea can into treating position near said nozzle device, a pivotedlug-engaging member driven in reciprocal movement by said mechanism,said lug and lug-engaging members being engageable only during returnmovement of said mechanism to effect turning of said device intoposition where it extends into the interior of a can in treatingposition, said lug-engaging member being equipped with means fordisengaging it from said lug member after said device has been turned toextended position and during the remainder of the return movement ofsaid mechanism.

12. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising a path along which cans aremoved in treatment, a tiltable nozzle device supported adjacent saidpath, reciprocally moving conveyor mechanism, the forward stroke ofwhich is effective to advance a can into treating position near saidnozzle device, and means for engaging said mechanism with said nozzledevice during return movement of said mechanism to effect turning ofsaid device into position Where it extends into the interior of a can intreating position.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 in which said means is engageableonly during the first portion of the return stroke of said mechanism.

14. Apparatus for treating cans, comprising means providing a path alongwhich the cans are moved in treatment, a. nozzle swingably mounted on apivot, said nozzle being adjacent said path and normally in retractedposition permitting cans to move freely along said path, reciprocatingactuating mechanism adjacent said path and movable there-along, meanscarried by said mechanism for engaging the can to move the same alongthe path when the mechanism moves in one direction, means carried bysaid mechanism for swinging said nozzle about its pivot into projectedposition extending into a can in-treating position on said path, saidmeans being operable when said mechanism moves in the oppositedirection, said nozzle being swingable about its pivot to retractedposition to permit movement of a treated can from said treatingposition, and a conduit for delivering fluid to said nozzle when thenozzle is in projected position.

EMIL E. HAGELINE.

